Cooking by the campfire - menus and recipes - includes related articles on required ingredients, required equipment, and cooking guidelines

As a Chief for the Sierra Club's wilderness trips, I have watched the sunrise bring color to looming rock walls while cooking breakfast in the Grand Canyon. I've served blintzes to the sound of loons calling on Kintla Lake in Glader National Park, baked cornbread in a meadow filled with wildflowers in the Uinta Mountains of Utah, and introduced hikers to Indian curries in Oregon's high desert. I've also developed recipes, menus and cooking techniques to provide meals for 15 10-day outings throughout the West. I've received some rave reviews from trip participants, whose judgment may have been slightly clouded by the fact that everyday tastes better when you're camping.

Even so, I became a cook for these trips because of my experience as a participant and a vegetarian. I found that most trail cooks would provide vegetarian options, but these were often less creative (and less filling) than the food cooked for the rest of the group. I decided there would be certain advantages to taking on the task of cooking on outings: I could serve exclusively vegetarian (and primarily vegan) food, and I'd be guaranteed meals that I like.

Many trip participants are not vegetarian and have never gone 10 days without eating meat. On one trip, a fellow brought along some salami, "just in case. " At the trip's end we were both happy that he never felt the need to resort to it.

People are often surprised and pleased to learn that vegetarian food can be so varied, tasty and satisfying. Following the trips, I have had quite a few people request recipes, and several have written to say that they had decided either to become vegetarian or to reduce their meat consumption. I've come to realize that my trail cooking also can serve as a form of vegetarian activism.

When backpacking, it's important to use lightweight, non-perishable foods that are easy to prepare. I like to indulge myself with "real" food and fresh ingredients as much as possible. Fruit salad and muffins, quick bread or coffee cake make a great breakfast at the trailhead, and a lunch of sandwiches, fresh fruit and home-baked treats is going to hold up best on the first day. But starting with the first dinner, I try to mininize perishable, heavy or fragile ingredients. Using foods that cook quickly cuts down on the amount of fuel needed, and frees up more time for exploration and relaxation. With this in mind, here are some general guidelines and ideas for meal planning:

Breakfast: Hot cereal is an excellent backpacking breakfast; pancakes are also easy and can be varied by adding fruit or chopped nuts. Bagels and English muffins are your best choices for toast, because they are not as easily crushed in the pack. Other possibilities include granola, dried fruit compote, instant potatoes, and breakfast tacos with instant refried beans and scrambled tofu (using aseptic-packed tofu). Muesli is an ultimately easy and versatile breakfast; it can be served with hot or cold water or milk.

Lunch: The noon meal is a little more difficult to plan, because of the tendency to be away from base camp. I prefer lunches based on carbohydrates, such as instant hummus, tabouli or couscous pilaf. Along with a main dish, you'll want to provide a variety of snacks for munching while on the trail. Unfortunately, most of these foods-such as dried fruit, nuts, trail mix, granola bars and cookies--are heavy, and many have a high fat content. I have suggested a few lunch combinations, but you'll want to plan according to your own preferences.

Dinner: A good start for any dinner is instant soup, which can rehydrate thirsty hikers and warm chilled campers. Instant mixes for chili and soups (such as lentil, split pea and black bean) are now available in bulk in many natural food stores. if you've got kids along, instant mashed potatoes and gravy, or macaroni and cheese are both good choices. Ramen is quick and easy, and can be enhanced with the addition of a bit of tofu, or thinly sliced fresh vegetables, such as carrots or mushrooms. Most natural food stores now offer a Aide variety of instant meals in cups. Though a bit more expensive, this option is certainly quick and easy. You'll want to repackage these together in one bag. Cut out the directions and make a note of how many packages you've combined so that you'll know how much water to add at camp.

Remember that you're out in the wilderness to enjoy yourself. You may want to spend as little time as possible cooking, or you may prefer to take along special ingredients and cook more elaborate recipes. With that in mind, here are a few menus and recipes to get you started. These recipes are for six people; you may need to adjust the amounts. Although you want to keep the weight of the food low, it's definitely better to have a bit too much food than too little.

In assembling the following recipes, my aim was to use only easily obtained ingredients and to avoid liquids. I have also tried to put together meals that are (mainly) low-fat and healthful. As you read on, you'll see that planning and some pre-trip preparation at home are the keys to tasty, quick and easy camping menus.